


Chocolate bars and cheese balls for Christmas' Eve

by Swen and Chill (anotherouatwriter)



Series: Baby, it's cold outside. [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Christmas at Student Dorms, F/F, countdown to christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 10:43:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8747419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anotherouatwriter/pseuds/Swen%20and%20Chill
Summary: Emma doesn't have a family, she never had one and she's used to spending the holidays alone. Regina doesn't have a family, they kicked her out after she told them she's gay. This is her first Christmas alone and she's miserable. They are the only two people in the dorms and Emma decides to cheer up the sad brunette.AU - College.





	

Christmas wasn't important for Emma.

Sure, she didn't mind having some days off, but the holiday had no special meaning to her. First, she never met her family; they could be Jewish or Scientologists, for all she knew. Second, of all her foster families, only two or three were good enough to celebrate Christmas with, so she never considered it a tradition. And third, she was not religious. But, even if she was, Christmas had become more of a capitalistic-and-materialistic occasion and less of a spiritual-and-familiar holiday.

When she started college, Christmas meant free time for working on her projects, having the dorm for herself, and taking double shifts at the diner to make more money. She didn't know how she would be spend the time next year after she graduated, but for now, she was happy.

It was nearly midnight when Emma came back to the dorms after her shift. On her way to her room, she stopped at the vending machines and bought some junk food and sweets. She had Christmas day off since the diner was closed and then a double shift on the 26th. So, she had plans to pig out and catch up with the new The 100 season that she hadn't been able to watch.

With her backpack and arms full of the packages she just got, Emma walked up the stairs to the second floor and then down the hallway to her room. She stopped in the middle of the hallway when she heard some sobs and a faint conversation.

"I love you too, Zee," a sad, female voice said, "Yes, merry Christmas, to you too."

Emma studied the room's number: 108. Regina Mills' room. Regina Mills was one of those girls born with a silver spoon in her mouth, one of those privileged girls who always got what they wanted. She met Regina when they attended to some lectures together. Regina was a law student and Emma was studying to become a social worker. However, they had never really talked, probably because Regina thought she was above Emma's status.

She shrugged and started walking towards her room again, only to stop midway and come back. Ruby told her at the beginning of the semester that Regina had been kicked out of her house for being gay and the only reason why she still could afford University was because her father had left her all of his money when he died. It was a rumor, but Ruby's rumors always proved to be true. Because that was what Ruby did at University, sleep with people and collect secrets.

Plus, it took Emma to add up the facts to reach to a conclusion: 1) Regina being kicked out, 2) Regina staying at the dorm during Christmas and 3) Regina sounding sad on the phone. 1 + 2 + 3 = Regina was feeling pretty miserable.

Until today, Emma will never understand what made her knock on the door. But she thanked whoever is in charge of Fate that she did.

She had always thought that Regina could only be compared to a greek goddess, even if her eyes were puffy and red from crying and she was wearing the University's hoodie and a pair of yoga pants she was the most beautiful woman Emma had ever seen. Tanned olive skin, smooth chocolate hair, and coffee colored eyes. And, the fact that Emma could only compare her beauty to edibles which meant that Regina had reached the level of the only thing Emma loved until now: food.

"Hi!" was the only thing that Emma managed to say without making a bigger fool of herself.

The brunette blew her nose with a tissue before asking, "What can I do for you, Emma?"

Emma almost squealed, because Regina Freaking Mills knew her name. And obviously, her mouth was faster than her brain, "You know my name?" her voice was a bit higher than usual due the excitement and Emma hated herself for that.

Regina chuckled and she leaned against the door frame as she crossed her arms. "We did attend three courses together," the brunette pointed out, "So, care to answer my question?"

Emma opened and closed her mouth once or twice before formulating a coherent sentence, "Um, I bought too much food. I was wondering if maybe you'd want to help me get rid some of it?" Emma asked, hoping the brunette would say yes.

"I'm afraid I'm not the best company tonight."

"I'm afraid you're wrong," Emma pursed her lips into a smile before adding, "There's no one in the dorms, so that makes you the only and thus the best company I could have tonight."

It was lame, but at least, it made the brunette smile so it was worth it.

"Your deductive skills are impressive."

"Must be all those CSI reruns I watch."

At this she laughed, and it made Emma's heart flutter.

"So, it's not like super fancy... But, chocolate bars and cheese balls for Christmas dinner?" Emma said, extending her arms for Regina to grab some of the cheese balls bags she was carrying, "We can watch a movie or a TV show if you want..."

The brunette shook her head but the smile didn't disappear. "Fine," she accepted and took her room keys before stepping out and closing the door.

"So... Who were you talking to? " Emma asked as they walked towards her room, the brunette tensed, "Forget I asked, I was trying to do some small talk."

"It's fine. I guess I might as well accept the fact that my mother disinherited me," Regina answered, she knew there were rumors going on around Campus so Emma probably heard, "I was talking to Zelena, my sister. She wanted to spend Christmas with me but mother made her work tonight and tomorrow."

"She sounds like a Grade A bitch."

"She is," Regina agreed, "What about you? Why aren't you with your family?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't have any family," she stated as she looked for her keys, "Never really celebrated Christmas, or Hanukkah, or any other day."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not." Emma smiled at her. She opened the door and let Regina in first, "It made me what I am today. And I like how I am, so I'm not going to regret something that made me… well, me."

Emma closed the door behind her and walked towards her bed, dropping her backpack there and motioned Regina to sit on the bed.

"Feel free to get under the duvet," she told Regina, because the dorm was always colder when there were not many people in it.

The brunette delicately placed the things she was carrying next to Emma's bag and removed her brown Uggs before climbing on the bed, under the duvet.

Regina tucked her feet under her folded knees before starting to talk again, "What about 'It's a Wonderful Life?'" she suggested, "I know it's kind of a cliche, but my sister and I used to watch it every Christmas Eve with father."

"I've never seen it," she admitted to the brunette as she dragged her chair towards the bed and placed her laptop on it. "So, we can watch it."

Regina smiled. "Thanks."

Emma decided to let silence reign in the room for a while as she put the movie on and placed all the junk food she had bought on the bed around them.

"I'll admit, it's kind of nice to spend Christmas Eve with someone," the blonde confessed before stuffing her mouth with a handful of cheese balls.

"It is," Regina agreed as she studied the blonde, she didn't know if she found Emma's eating habits disgusting or endearing. She decided on the latter.

Emma started the movie but they didn't make it to the end of it. She was so exhausted after her shift and Regina's warm body next to hers was too inviting, too soothing.

The next morning, Emma woke up with her arms wrapped around Regina's abdomen and they were surrounded by half-eaten bags of food. She tried to move away to give Regina some space, but then she felt the brunette placing a hand over hers and muttering a "Merry Christmas," before drifting to sleep again. Contently, Emma rested her cheek against Regina's collarbone and closed her eyes as well. Merry Christmas, indeed.


End file.
